Photo Credits: HighUp Entertainment

STAYC’s first full-length Japanese album, “STAY ALIVE,” is setting the stage for a high-voltage night in Yokohama, with a new showcase live poster that turns KT Zepp Yokohama into a race track where K-pop and street culture collide. Saturated in searing orange and asphalt grey, the visual shows the six members striding across bold crosswalk lines like a futuristic pit crew, framed by a roaring tire branded with the word “STAYC,” as if the group is about to launch from the starting grid straight into Japan’s live music history. The typography leans into sci‑fi precision, with the “STAY AL1VE” logo rendered in brushed chrome and a sleek, winged motif that hints at speed, resilience, and a promise to keep moving forward with their Japanese fans, SWITH JAPAN, in tow.​

The poster locks in the essentials at a glance: “Japan 1st Full Album [STAY ALIVE] Showcase LIVE,” “KT Zepp Yokohama,” and “2026.02.10 (TUE) START / 18:30,” giving fans an instant call to action while mirroring the efficiency of classic Japanese gig flyers. Yet the visual language feels distinctly global, borrowing from motorsport iconography, cyber‑aesthetic glows, and crosswalk imagery that subtly nods to both Shibuya crossings and rock‑history album covers. The result is a piece of key art that does what every strong K‑pop campaign should do: crystallize the concept of the era in a single glance, while leaving enough mystery that fans immediately want to see how it looks under real stage lights.​

“STAY ALIVE” itself underpins the intensity of this image, collecting 17 tracks, including five new songs and a sweep of Japanese versions that chart STAYC’s evolution from bright rookies to fully realized pop auteurs. The album threads together Japanese takes on signature hits like “ASAP,” “STEREOTYPE,” “Teddy Bear,” and “Bubble” with fresh material such as “MWUAH,” “I WANT IT (Japanese Ver.),” and “Say My Name,” mapping out a soundscape that swings from candy‑sharp hooks to moodier, late‑night textures. For Japanese fans, it reads like both a best‑of and a new beginning, a discography crash course designed to be played loud on trains between Tokyo and Yokohama before converging at KT Zepp for the real thing.​

On stage in Yokohama, the six members bring this concept to life with performances that mirror the poster’s kinetic energy: precision choreography, razor‑clean formations, and live vocals that cut through the venue’s industrial acoustics. The showcase format usually leans into storytelling, so fans can expect a tracklist that doubles as a narrative, perhaps opening with the new songs before spiraling back to their breakout hits in Japanese to mark how far the group has come since debut. With doors scheduled to open around an hour before the 18:30 start, the venue itself becomes a pre‑show stage, as fans arrive in coordinated outfits inspired by the album’s racing‑meets‑streetwear styling, lightsticks in hand, rehearsing fan chants under the neon of Yokohama’s waterfront.​

At the heart of this rollout is STAYC, the six‑member group whose name, “Star To A Young Culture,” has become something of a mission statement for Gen Z and younger millennial listeners. Formed under High Up Entertainment in 2020, they emerged under the guidance of hitmaking producers Black Eyed Pilseung, whose track record with groups like TWICE and Apink signaled from the start that STAYC’s sound would be unapologetically melodic and hook‑driven. Over four years, the group has carved a lane where bright, approachable pop coexists with muscular vocals and surprising emotional depth, a duality that translates naturally into the Japanese market’s love for concept‑heavy idol storytelling.​

Leader Sumin stands at the center of this dynamic as the group’s anchor, bringing more than five years of training experience into every stage and acting as a calm, grounded presence when the cameras stop rolling. Her steady vocal lines and controlled charisma give structure to even the busiest choreographies, making her the member fans instinctively watch when they need to understand a new formation or fanchant cue. On a stage like KT Zepp Yokohama, where proximity to the audience can feel almost club‑like, Sumin’s blend of leadership and understated playfulness becomes a bridge between the front row and the back line, especially during talk segments where she often guides the flow.​

Sieun, often introduced first in early pre‑debut content, brings an actor’s emotional range to the group’s vocal color, having built experience as a child actress and trainee before debuting with STAYC. Her voice carries a clarity that cuts through even the densest K‑pop production, making her a natural centerpiece on ballad or mid‑tempo tracks that might appear in the “STAY ALIVE” setlist. During Japanese promotions, that expressiveness becomes even more pronounced, as she leans into the nuance of Japanese lyrics, delivering lines with a theater‑like precision that resonates strongly with local fans who prize vocal storytelling.​

Isa, with her smooth tone and elegant stage manner, often functions as the group’s visual focal point when the concept calls for sophistication over cuteness. Her movements have a fluidity that pairs well with “Lover, Killer” and “MEOW,” tracks featured on the album’s DVD component, suggesting that the Yokohama showcase may spotlight her in the more sultry or mood‑driven segments. In photos and fan cams alike, Isa’s gaze work and subtle gestures—tilts of the head, micro‑smiles between lines—help turn short moments into shareable clips that travel quickly through Japanese and global timelines.​

Seeun brings an unmistakable warmth to the lineup, having first stepped into the spotlight as a textbook model and child actress before re‑entering the industry as a trainee. Her cheerful personality often makes her the mood‑maker during variety appearances, and that same brightness tends to spill onto the stage during high‑energy tracks like “POPPY” and “Cheeky Icy Thang (Japanese Ver.),” both included on the album. For a showcase like this, she is the member most likely to lock eyes with fans on the balcony, throw in spontaneous fan service, and keep the crowd buzzing between songs.​

Yoon, whose bright energy and sharp sense of humor have become fan favorites, embodies the kind of duality that fuels STAYC’s appeal: playful offstage, laser‑focused when the beat drops. Her stage presence leans toward the charismatic and bold, which suits the racing‑themed visuals of the “STAY ALIVE” campaign and the driving beats of songs like “GPT (Japanese Ver.)” that appear on the album. In a live house like KT Zepp, her lines and center moments are likely to become some of the night’s loudest scream‑along points, particularly when she moves close to the edge of the stage for call‑and‑response sections.​

Maknae J rounds out the group with a distinctive low‑pitched rap tone and a cool, confident aura that belies her status as the youngest. Her parts often hit like exclamation marks inside STAYC’s songs, punctuating choruses with rhythmic bite and adding grit to the group’s otherwise glossy sound. During “STAY ALIVE” promotions, J’s combination of sharp rap verses and unexpectedly cute off‑stage reactions is poised to drive a new wave of bias shifts among Japanese and international fans discovering the group through this first full album.​

Beyond the group poster, the solo jacket photos for the “STAY ALIVE” Japanese album deepen the narrative by spotlighting each member’s individual color in LP‑sized, 30×30cm packaging that feels as collectible as a vinyl. Each solo edition features its own jacket design, allowing fans to pick the member who resonates most with them while still tying into the shared aesthetic of speed, motion, and urban nightscapes. For collectors, these versions are more than just CDs; they function as art prints that can live on shelves and walls long after the promotional cycle ends, extending the visual world glimpsed in the Yokohama poster.​

The solo jacket concept also mirrors the narrative arc that tends to unfold in showcase concerts, where group performances often give way to unit or member‑focused moments tailored to each artist’s strengths. A fan who chooses a Sieun or Sumin solo edition may find special satisfaction in seeing those members take live center stage during vocal‑heavy segments, while buyers of Yoon or J versions might look forward to the most explosive dance breaks. By weaving physical collectibles, digital teasers, and live performance into one ecosystem, STAYC and their Japanese team are building a campaign that feels immersive rather than transactional.​

All of this converges on February 10, 2026, when KT Zepp Yokohama opens its doors for what is more than just a standard tour stop; it is a marker of STAYC’s expanding footprint in one of the world’s most competitive music markets. With VIP tickets offering front‑area seats and an after‑show send‑off, along with rehearsal viewing benefits for certain fanclub purchasers, the event treats hard‑core SWITH as collaborators in the group’s Japanese era rather than passive spectators. For everyone who cannot make it to the venue, the poster, solo jackets, and album release create a shared visual story that can be followed from Tokyo to Seoul to international timelines, uniting fans in a countdown that feels both local and global.

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